Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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310. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will report on continuing serious levels of burglary from homes in the Dublin metropolitan district; the measures her Department and An Garda Síochána have put in place to ensure that all gold and jewellery sold to jewellery and gold shops is verifiable and traceable. [6857/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that I am very conscious of the concerns which exist in relation to burglary and am working closely with the Garda Commissioner and other relevant criminal justice agencies to ensure that an effective, whole of system response is in place.

It is the case that, having fallen in 2013, an increase in the number of burglary offences was recorded during 2014, driven mainly by an increase in the Dublin area. An Garda Síochána is responding to the increase experienced in the Dublin area through Operation Acer, which is in force throughout the Dublin Metropolitan Region. This includes a particular focus on identifying and targeting criminal groups who have played a large part in the recent increase. Burglary Response Units attached to each Division take the lead in Operation Acer and are assisted by other units as required. In addition, a further and related operation, Operation Creeper, assists in the surveillance of Acer targets by monitoring their movements and this Operation has been tasked solely with targeting burglary suspects which has resulted in the successful arrests of Acer targets. These Operations are all coordinated under Operation Fiacla, which is the national operation targeting burglary using an intelligence and analysis-led approach.

Since Operation Acer commenced in early 2012, I am advised that there has been 5,389 arrests, 2,746 charges and 1,087 convictions for burglary in the Dublin area, up to 3 February 2015.

In addition to these policing responses, I am also carrying out a broader and urgent review of the criminal justice system's response to the problem of burglaries. This includes a focus on interagency measures in relation to the management of prolific offenders, visible policing, crime prevention support for communities, and an examination of legislative issues. Burglary is a persistent and highly damaging crime, and I am determined to tackle it on a number of fronts, and through a partnership approach between criminal justice agencies and the community.

Insofar as the question of traceability of gold and jewellery purchases is concerned, I am committed to examining the best approach to regulation in the area of cash for gold business providers, having regard to the potentially significant impact on legitimate businesses. It is important to recognise that any legislation in this area would have a potentially significant impact on a broad range of businesses. There are a large number of legitimate businesses such as jewellers, antique dealers etc., as well as 'cash for gold' outlets that would be impacted upon. As the regulatory and resource burden of any proposed measure will have to be carefully examined to ensure that it is proportionate to the matter being addressed I have asked officials in my Department to carry out a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) which will facilitate a process of consultation with groups likely to be affected. The current position is that my Department is finalising a RIA which will comprise a detailed and systematic appraisal of the potential impacts of any proposed regulation in order to assess whether the regulation is likely to achieve the desired objectives and the potential costs that will arise. It is my intention to publish this RIA for consultation in early 2015.